Organisers unveil awards for beauty pageantry winners

Miss Tanzania contestants pose with the brand new Jeep car donated by the sponsors for the winner of the event to be staged at the Mlimani City on Saturday. (Photo: Omar Fungo)

Winner of Miss Tanzania beauty pageantry would drive home a brand new Jeep model car and a sum of eight million shillings, the organizers have announced yesterday.

The car is worth 72m/- and is courtesy of joint efforts between the event sponsors Vodacom Tanzania and CFAO Motors Tanzania.

Vodacom’s head of sponsorship George Rwehumbiza said the steady rise in the value of the prize package for the winner is coupled with efforts to promote the event now in its 17th edition.

The event will be held at the Mlimani City auditorium on Saturday as 30 contestants will be on show.

Winner if the event would represent Tanzania at the Miss World beauty contest to be held in England later in November.

The value of the Jeep branded car is seven times more of the one won by Genevieve Mpangala in the preceding edition. Mpangala drove off with Hyundai i10 by then valued at ten million shillings.

Runner-up of the event would pocket 6.2m/-. The second runner-up has four million to take home and three million is reserved for the fourth placed finisher.

The fifth placed finisher has 2.4m/- to take home, according to the prize distribution announced by Rwehumbiza.

Ten other winners out of the top placed 15 finishers would take home 1.2m/-

A consolation cash prize of 700,000/- has been set aside for each of the last 15 finishers.

Rwehumbiza said the objective of the hefty prize fund package is in line with the deserved respect for the beauty pageantry which has roved to be vital in highlighting the country before the global stage.

Hashim Lundenga, the coordinator of the event, expressed his sincere appreciation to the sponsors for the efforts taken in improving the quality and gravity of the prize fund package.

He said the winner of the event would match with the stated prize package and based on merit.

Lundenga stated that so far the preparations are on proper track as judges are expected to be fair in their decisions to mark the competitors.

The coordinator said selected domestic based artistes have been invited to entertain fans and visitors during the pageantry show expected to be beamed live by televisions.

The organizers are expected to announce five out of the 30 contestants who would cruise into the semifinal berth ahead of the Saturday showdown.